Contact-rail for electric railways.



No. 898,220. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

J. HUTOHINSON.

CONTACT RAIL FOR ,ELEOTRIRAILWAY APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1905.RENEWEDMAE. G, 1908.

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No. 898,220. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908. J. HUTCHI'NSON.

` CONTACT RAIL IOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1905. RENEWED MAB. 6, 1908.

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UNITED sTATE's PATENT oEEIoE.

JOB HUTOHINSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CON 'FACT-RAIL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Application filed May 10, 1905, Serial No. 259,829. Renewed March 6,1908. Serial No. 419,568.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOB HUToHiNsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing atY New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork,have invented new and useful Imrovements in Contact Rails for Electricailways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to contact rails for electric railways, the mostusual form of which is known as the common third rail mounted adjacentthe traiiic rails to supply motive 4current to, and form part of thecircuit of, the car motors. This third rail is usually a steel railsimilar to but smaller than the traffic rails, and is mounted close toone of these latter to be engaged by a collector or contact shoe carriedby the car, the return circuit being completed through the car wheelsand track rails. In the practical application of this generalarrangement and its modifications many difliculties have beenencountered, among which are the tendency of snow and ice to collectupon the third rail in cold weather so that the shoe can not make goodelectrical contact therewith and may be injured. Another seriousdifliculty is the danger to persons and animals, as this rail and itsreturn circuit lie very close together, and the current is heavy and ofhigh voltage.

Constructions and arrangements have been heretofore produced with a viewto obviating the above difliculties, all of which lack the novelfeatures and advantages which characterize my invention.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a view in side elevation of a contact rail constructedaccording to my invention 5 Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same showingthe position of the parts when a contact shoe is passing g Fig. 3 is a'side sectional view; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the rail, withthe contact shoe attached to a car track shown in elevation Fig. 5 is aplan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view similarto Fig. 4, and showing a spring mounting for the rail cover. Fig. 7 is ageneral view of a preferred form of rail and cover mounting Fig. 8 is aperspective view of a car and rail equipped according to my inventionFig. 9 is a side .elevation showing a modification of my inventionapplied to contact rails of ordinary construction; Fig.' 10 is a planView of the same; Fig. ll isa longitudinal section, and Fig. 12 atransverse section, of the same.

Referring to the drawings, and rst particularly to Figs. l to 5 thereof,A represents the rail proper mounted on a base strip a of suitablematerial channeled as shown to receive it. Base strip a is carried onchairs B placed at intervals and preferably mounted on insulators b. Thejoints of the pieces composing base strip a and the joints of rail A arestaggered, so that a continuous strip is formed.

The joints of rail are preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 3, andconsist of a U- shaped piece C of stout spring metal attached by itslimbs or extensions c to the adjacent rail ends. The size and depth ofthe U or ring portion, and the thickness of the metal, may be varied asfound desirable to obtain the proper firmness of connection and spring.This piece O constitutes a combined rail connector and bond.

Overlying the rail proper A I provide a cover D constructed to protectthe rail A from moisture, ice and snow, and to prevent contact ofpersons and animals with the rail. Both this cover and base strip a arepreferably of weather and fire proofed wood, but may be of any suitablematerial.

Chairs B have extensions or brackets b1 projecting up and over cover Don which the cover D is mounted so as to be capable of an up and down orvertical motion. As shown in Figs. l to 5, and Figs. 6 and 8, thisconsists of a pin or bolt b2 passing through a hole b3 in bracket b1 andsecured to cover D. This construction prevents any lateral displacementof the cover.

Cover D may overlie rail proper A by gravity or its own weight alone, orin some cases I provide springs b4 on pin b2 either above or below theoverhanging arm of bracket b1, or both above and below the same, asshown in Fig. 6 to assist or counteract the action of gravity. Byproviding these springs of different Weights, or omitting either one orthe other, the desired pressure of cover D may be secured.

Along the under side of cover D and near each edge thereof is provided agroove d3 running longitudinally, and made the proper depth, to preventwater which runs down the sides of the cover from reaching contact stripE.

Another, and perhaps better Way of mounting cover D is shown in Figs. 7,9, 10, l1 and 12, and consists of links B1 pivoted to bracket b1 at B2,and to cover D at B3. The pivot holes B3 are elongated, asshown in Fig.l1, to permit proper movement. Coiled springs B4 may be provided asvshown in Fig. 7, for the same purposes as springs lf. l

The ends of the rail A and its base strip a, and cover D are preferablybent away from each other or flared, as shown at d al, to permit theready entrance of a car-carried contact shoe 11, which as it progresseslifts cover D and makes contact with rail A. Vhen the car has passed,the cover again assumes its rail-protecting position.

In some cases I provide a supplementary rail E carried by the cover D inclose proximity to, but not in contact with, rail proper A. Thisseparation is effected in any suitable manner, as by flanges d1, a2which maintain the proper distance between the rails. Supplementary railE may be either a dead piece for protecting cover D from wear of thecontact shoe, or it may be connected by its Wires d2 with the same feedconductor as rail proper A 5 or it may be in sections, as shown in Fig.3, either for a sectional railway system, or a sectional rail signalingsystem such as shown in my co-pending application. In this latterinstance wires d2 are connected to the signal apparatus. A conductor a3is provided to connect rail A with a transmission wire.

In Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 8, I have shown one arrangement of contact shoeadapted to my rail, which consists of a horizontal shank w carrying theshoe W. Shank w is mounted on rods w1 slidable in a bracket wz, andpressed downward by light springs w3.

In Figs. 9 to l2, I have shown my invention as applied to third railsnow in use. A indicates the rail, as before, and to it are connectedhousing strips F bolted to cheek pi/veces f placed at intervals. Contactshoe is carried by lever tu4L pivoted for limited movement on abase-piece w5 designed for attachment to a car truck. Springs w6 tend tomaintain lever w4 in its central position.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself or the scope of the inventionthereto, as many modifications may be devised without departing from thespirit thereof, and these I intend to cover by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In a contact rail, arail proper with a support therefor, a continuous flexible covercomprising a series of strips placed end to end overlying said railproper and movably .mounted in relation thereto to permit the lateralinsertion and movement of a contact shoe, and a strip upon the underside of said cover overlapping the ends of said cover strips to maintainthe same in alinement,`

substantially as described.

2. In a contact rail, the combination with a rail proper and supportingbrackets therefor, of a cover resting by gravity over said rail properand mounted for vertical movenient on said brackets, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a contact rail, a rail proper with support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper and carrying a supplementalrail, whereby pressure of said cover will produce intimate contact ofsaid rails with a contact shoe, substantially as described.

4. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper and a supplemental railcarried by said cover adjacent said rail proper but separate therefrom,substantially as described.

5. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper, and a supplemental railcarried by said cover adjacent said rail proper but separate therefromand made up of insulated sections, substantially as described.

6. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper and comprising a series ofstrips placed end to end, and a contact strip mounted within said covercomposed of sections the joints of which are staggered with relation tothe joints of said cover strips, substantially as described.

7 The combination with a rail proper and a support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper and carrying a supplementalrail, of a contact shoe extending laterally to raise said cover and makecontact with said rail proper and said supplemental rail, substantiallyas described.

8. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a covermovably mounted and resting by gravity over said rail proper, and springpressure means tending to oppose the action of gravity on said cover,substantially as described.

9. In a contact rail, a rail roper with a support therefor, a cover overying said rail, brackets placed at intervals along said rail, and a linkconnection between said brackets and cover, substantially as described.

10. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a coveroverlying said rail, brackets placed at intervals along said rail, and aloose-link connection between said brackets and cover, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a contact rail, a railproper with a support therefor, a coveroverlying said rail, brackets placed at intervals along said rail, and alink connection between said brackets and cover constructed to permitvertical motion of said cover and prevent lateral displacement thereof,substantially as described.

12. In a contact rail, a rail proper With a support therefor, a coveroverlying said rail, brackets placed at intervals along said rail, andobliquely extending links pivoted to said brackets and cover to permitvertical motion and prevent lateral displacement of said cover,substantially as described.

13. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a coveroverlying said rail, brackets placed at intervals along said rail, andlinks extending obliquely in opposite directions from the brackets andpivoted to the brackets and cover to permit vertical motion and preventlateral displacement of said cover, substantially as described.

14. In a contact rail, a base strip channeled to receive a rail, a railproper located in said channel, a cover overlying said rail proper and asupplemental rail carried by said cover adjacent said rail proper butseparated therefrom, substantially as described.

15. In a contact rail, a base strip having a channel between side iangesto receive a rail, a rail proper located in said channel but below theside iianges thereof, a cover carrying a supplemental rail and restingon said flanges to maintain the rails out of contact With each other,substantially as described.

16. The combination With a rail proper with a su port therefor, a coveroverlying and movably mounted with relation to said rail, of abase-piece adapted to be attached to a car, a shoe-lever pivoted forlimited movement to said base-piece and extending between said rail andcover to lift the latter, and springs tending to maintain said shoelevernormally in a central position, substantially as described.

17. In a contact rail, a rail roper with a support therefor, a coverover ying said rail and movably mounted in relation thereto, said coverhaving longitudinal grooves near its edges to prevent moisture reachingthe rail, substantially as described.

.18. In a contact rail, a rail proper with a support therefor, a covermovably mounted to overlie said rail proper and having contact portionadapted to be engaged by a car-carried contact shoe, said cover having alongitudinal moisture-obstructing groove on each side of said contactportion, substantially as described.

J OB HUTCHINSON. Witnesses:

W. S. HAsxINs, GEO. F. GALLAGr-rnn.

